Ailments which may prevent you from renewing your driving licence in Spain

Traffic authorities in Spain can refuse to renew a licence or reduce its validity period in the case of certain illnesses

Heart problems

• Cardiac arrhythmias: You won’t be allowed to renew your licence until at least 6 months have passed. The only exception would be to have a favourable report from a cardiologist that is valid for one year.
• Pacemaker or automatic defibrillator carriers: Renewal will be possible within a few months after having these fitted, as long as a cardiologist has given the patient the go-ahead for driving.
• Heart valve prostheses and acute myocardial infarction: Three months must have passed to renew your licence, but the driver will have to undergo periodic tests to extend it.

Chronic and degenerative diseases

• Alzheimer’s
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Osteoporosis
• Parkinson’s disease

Digestive disorders

• Nephropathy with dialysis: Motorists will be able to renew their driver’s license if they have a favourable medical report.
• Kidney transplant: Drivers can renew 6 months after a transplant with medical permission.

Endocrine disorders

• Diabetes Mellitus: Since this illness can interfere with your ability to drive, your driving licence will have to be renewed every one to five years, depending on your medical report.
• Hypothyroidism and Parathyroids: Again, there’s no problem renewing your driving licence but the validity period may be reduced, most likely to between one and ten years, depending on the severity of the illness.

Neurological diseases

• Transient ischaemic attack: Licences will have a renewal period of one year, once six months has passed without symptoms and a favourable health report is presented.
• Loss of consciousness: The DGT will renew a licence if one year has passed since the last episode.
• Epilepsy: A licence valid between one and 10 years will be offered, depending on the date of the last seizure.

Oncological diseases

• Encological ailments: Patients will be able to renew their driver’s license for a period of between one and five years
• Oncohaematological disorders: Drivers may renew their driving license if ten years have passed since the complete remission of the disease. Only in that case, and if a favourable report is presented, can the licence be renewed for one year.

Psychiatric illnesses

• Alcohol and drug abuse or dependence
• Dementia and Anxiety Disorder
• Depression
• TDH
• Personality disorder
• Intellectual development disorder
• Sleep disorder
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Respiratory illnesses

• Sleep apnoea: Motorists will be able to renew the driver's license if they have an index of less than 15, as well as a favourable medical report.
• Permanent dyspnoea at rest or on slight exertion: The driver’s license cannot be renewed.

Vascular Diseases

• Aneurysm of large vessels: Drivers can renew their license for a period of one to ten years if there is no danger of rupture of blood vessels and if there is a favourable medical report.

Vision-related problems

• Glaucoma or cataracts: These are the sight-related disorders that present the greatest risk, although others are also included. In order for these applicants to renew their license they must present a favourable report from the ophthalmologist. In addition, those who suffer from cataracts must wait a month after the operation to renew.